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Saturday, 7 August 2010

ALONG SPACE there's been between the last time I poured tea here and this! Life has brought a satchelful of wonders and works and wanders, so I hardly know where to begin! Perhaps if I rifle through this satchel and pull out chapters one by one?...

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CHAPTER 1 :: LUKAS

So first and most delightfully of all, I'd like to introduce you to a dear new member of my family! I am an aunt for the first time, and quite amazed to meet this beautiful little boy, born in July to my brother Jan and his Maria. This is Lukas Jacob Staines, here just one day old. I cannot quite believe it, since I remember waiting for his father to come home from hospital when he was the same number of hours old (and I was just two)!

We waited a while for him to come, and while we waited, I stitched him seven linen mice. Slightly patched, askew, and lace-collared, they hang all in a row from a piece of linen-wrapped wire (so that they can be hooked anywhere) upon which I stitched words... there's still space at the end for me to add his name, which at the time of giving, had not yet been decided! There are seven mice for seven stories (and the thousand different ways of telling them...)

(do click to enlarge these)

I so look forward to seeing this dear little soul grow, and to see familiar and new in him. He has his father's useful crooked little fingers. He'll be tall. And he will be loved ♥

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CHAPTER 2 :: JERICHO & HANNAH

And second, a painting! Made for Jericho and Hannah, who are wonderful artists and good friends too across the miles, though we've not met. This watercolour of the dear couple flew all the way to them in the Philippines, where they lose themselves in fascinating artistic endeavour, bluebell woods of their imaginations and sometimes run away together as cat and rabbit. I'm quite pleased with the blue of Hannah's dress amid my usual rust-and-moss pallette. And it is painted on Two Rivers hand milled watercolour paper from Somerset. It was a joy to make a painting for two artists who appreciate my work so, and who also make beautiful works themselves.

Here above you can see my progress: pencil, then light washes, then finer more concentrated detail, then done. (Although, in reality, as you can imagine, it took far longer than that!)

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CHAPTER 3 :: LANVAL

And third, a trip across the sea to Brittany! Do you remember these Arthurian-Breton gold and red and black and white paintings that I found such a struggle to finish a month or so ago? Well, they now hang in the most exquisite chateau exhibition in the middle of the Breton forest of Brocéliande, and I was lucky enough to join some of the English and French artists taking part on a trip to this Nest of Myth and see the exhibition opening amid a fanfare of wonderful events: horse displays, storytelling, harp recitals, Breton music. All the while we enjoyed hospitality of the highest order, with wines and food and good things apparently springing up whenever we looked round!

This is the chateau pictured above, seen from across the lake. We watched moonrise over this lake, and heard how many pieces of the Arthurian myth are woven through this place.. Here the Oak that held Merlin, there the lake that hides the crystal cave. We were taken by horse and cart to the Valley of No Return... but came back nonetheless, wide-eyed mostly at the generous funding and support the arts are given in France compared to the UK.

Inside the castle, the works were hung beautifully. I think I had warmed to my paintings after not having seen them for a while, though had I had paint and brush with me, I might still have been tempted to tinker.

There were beautiful windows all around, I looked out across the lake through deliciously atticy cobwebs, or soft summer-breezed curtains to see audiences being told tales below, and boys playing bagpipes.

I was delighted too to meet a jovial old elf called Pierre Dubois, whose book The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries I owned some years ago. I got to practice lots of French and learned many intriguing things from him about Lutins and all the mischiefs of their realm. Pierre was also responsible for a forbidden foray with a few of us beyond this Interdit sign to find a beautiful old myth-soaked Oak tree and this lilied lake.

We stayed in La Gacilly, a town full to the brim with art. There were photographic exhibitions in the streets, art and craft shops everywhere, and cobblestones and hanging baskets too.

And all of our work, along with tales of the making of the accompanying film were put together in a beautifully produced book of the exhibition. The show continues in France until the end of August and the film will premiere there in October. Then for the winter, the exhibition comes to Exeter in December, and we look forward to welcoming our French friends here then and returning their wonderful hospitality. Much appreciation goes to all who put such efforts into this wondrous sharing of legends.

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CHAPTER 4 :: HOTCHIWITCHI

Now fourth, I bring more artwork, and pages too. A while ago I wrote about hedgehogs, telling of their significance amongst Gypsies and the superstitions that bristle around them. This in turn inspired Sam Rawlings to make a piece of writing about the hedgehog, and I was asked to illustrate it. This handsome little booklet which houses my hedgehoggery is the latest in the short story series produced by London based Arts collective Lazy Gramophone. Their books are beautifully done, with thoughtful letterpress and an eye for a good font. I am delighted to be involved with such an enthusiastic and creative bunch. You can buy a copy of this limited edition publication here for £4.99.

And I am selling prints of my drawinghere in my etsy shop. He is a shaman hedgehog, with not apples, but amulets, collected on his wise old spines.

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CHAPTER 5 :: THINGS TO COME

And so fifth, and onwards! Life is full colour at the moment, and blooming with all kinds of delights. I am busy selling work, and making work, as ever trying to dream up projects in between the ones I must make for pennies. Next weekend I will be hawking my wares at the Harlequin Fayre in Norfolk. The next chapter, I'll tell of soon. It has wonder-books and earth-adventures and beloved patchworks and cauldrons of goodness and the threetoed footprints of Baba Yaga's house in it...

66 comments:

A post-full of enchantment, worth waiting for. I must admit, however, I stopped by here the other day to click on that tweet box thing and see where you were and make sure you hadn't been spirited away since the last post... sweet nephew, sweet mice, lovely journeys and castles and smiled with knowing when you wrote that your brought your brushes to the castle just in case... but WE all knew your work was beautiful!

What a wonderful magic filled post. I enjoyed your words, your art, your photos - all are wonderful and magical. Congratulations on your beautiful nephew - there is something so very precious about a baby; also congratulations on all your wonderful art. I love reading your posts and having this fairy-like glimpse into your world.

Great to see you back blogging; congratulations on all your wonderful news. Lucky Lukas to be born(e) into such a family. Newborn*e) always remind me of Ghibran ..."And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."And he said:Your children are not your children.They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.They come through you but not from you,And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.You may give them your love but not your thoughts.For they have their own thoughts.You may house their bodies but not their souls,For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."http://leb.net/~mira/And then, your art ... Lanval and Tryamour are wonderful, maybe I'll make it down to Exeter later this year. The Arthurian legend holds a special place in my psyche. Gold ... I saw gold leaf being made in Kanazawa, Japan a week ago, the town's ladies polishing waxed pages before the gold was hammered to transparency. The more I see gold, the more magical it appears. And Hotchiwitchi ... made me smile.Welcome back :)

Congratulations on becoming an Auntie. You've had a wonderful and productive summer by the look of it. Your paintings look spectacular hung in that chateau.Summer isn't over yet, I hope it continues in the same vein.

I get to travel so much when I read your posts! My husband and I are older and have three dogs so we never travel anymore. But reading your Blog, I get to travel places I have never been and see Elves and Mice, Magic Hedgehogs and a handsome new Father with a beautiful brand new son! You give me so very much, thank-you!

What a beautiful sweet child. Congratulations to all. It was so great to see a new post from you. Interesting.... because I wrote about you and your blog this morning. Please take a look. I'm sure you will have some new folks visit you because of it.I love the photos of your artwork in the making. So nice to see the progress and how you do your work.

Do not be a stranger with your writing. We, who love your lifestyle and art, miss you when there is such a gap. It is so good to hear from you.

Welcome back Rima! What a wonderful and enchanting post and it was a joy to read all the good news!Congrats on becoming an Auntie, your nephew is adorable and lucky to have an aunt like you who will tell him magical stories! And what a lovely present you've made for him!

Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures of Brittany! Truly inspiring!That book looks very well designed and your work just looks amazing in it!

Welcome back, Rima! Congrats on your new nephew. He's adorable! Thank you for sharing your journeys and new work with us. As always, I'm in awe of your talent and the way you live your life. Can't wait to see what's next.

Hello, as ever your entry is a wonderful mix of images and words, weaving a story that transports me somewhere else. I always look forward when the Hermitage appears in my inbox. I love the stories of the pictures, the castle and the hedgehog. The cat and rabbit is a particularly lovely detail. Still thinking about your previous entry on Old Women who Paint on their Walls - that would be a great adventure to visit all those places. I hope you'll visit my blog sometime and maybe even comment, the focus is on words and the mental pictures they create.http://thewellhousecircle.wordpress.com/

Well, if you're going to return with posts as wonderful as this, then the long absences are forgiven! The painting for Jericho and Hannah is so magical, it bought a lump to my throat; and I really wish someone had made my daughter a mouse-strung story banner - I'm sure your nephew will love it dearly.

I've come to the point now in my blog-reading where I look for a new post from the Hermitage much like one seeks a hand-written letter in amongst junk mail in the postbox.Like getting out of town for some fresh country air, it relieves my media overload.Congrats on your nephew, and the exhibition.

It is so wonderful to see another post from you, O Weaver of Worlds, especially after checking back here nearly daily! I can't help myself; I am truly a fan. And as a fan, I'm interested in the pieces in your Workshop on your main site... Are the game and herblore book for sale?[Please respond at my url, it's my email :)]

Lukas looks so perfect at only one day old - congratulations to you and his parents. He will love the mice - such a lovely idea to weave stories around them. I do like those twisty trees in Jericho and Hannah's wonderful painting. Your other paintings look very much at home in those beautiful surroundings - the visit to Lanval must have been an amazing experience. I love Hotchiwitchi too and am looking forward to your next post. Good luck in Norfolk.

Rima, I've enjoyed receiving your packages in the mail lately. Another package I received lately was HEX Magazine which had one of your paintings in it, and I realized that two other artists of another type were contributors as well: it was nice to see dawn & nils & your faces in the front :] Be well -- you are a shining light; a piece of wood amongst the plastic.

Another wonderful post. You always transport me to a magic place Rima, I look forward to your posts immensely. Congratulations on becoming an aunty, and Lukas is so lucky to have such a wonderful aunt who will tell him tales of magical mice and wee folk and show him all the wonder in the world. I love Hotchiwitchi too, and Hannah and Jericho's painting. Beautiful, so beautiful!

Dear Rima, I’m sorry for being so late with my comment! First of all - congratulations on the birth of this beautiful baby boy to all your family! I wish Lukas to be healthy, happy and surrounded by people who will love and support him all his life! Those lace-collared linen mice are gorgeous! Well,this is the beginning of your life as an auntie!:) A wonderful idea for story-telling… I’m sure they’ll survive through the years, but it’s interesting how they’ll look like after 10 years?!Everything that has happened to you, the wonderful painting for your dear friends, the magic trip to Brittany and the amazing and friendly people you have met there– everything speaks to me about your life this summer but about you,as well! A person who doesn't stop searching for beauty and creating it!I like the wood with scary branches, but I don’t think that Jericho and Hannah will lose themelves like Hansel and Gretel, ‘cause they have a direction that follow together!Your painting on the wall of the castle – how nice to see it again. As if it’s always been there! It was obviously an exciting experience spending these days in Brittany! Oh, and that sweet hedgehog! This is the first shaman hedgehog I’ve ever seen! It was interesting to “discover” the objects he’s wearing with him!I'm waiting eagerly for the next chapters of your Summer Novel!Rima, when you have time, please, read my two posts about Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora - a Bulgarian artist, whose paintings I would like you to see! Thank you!

Hello Rima! Thank you so much for this very precious work. I still cannot believe I actually have your wonderful work within reach, when before one just admired it on your little blog. Congratulations on your cute little nephew from the bunny and me. I also have a chubby niece of three, Sybilla--I guess I can relate on how we must resist pinching their cheeks too much. Cheers for your recent successful exhibit! As ever, your double panel paintings are astounding!

such a lovely blog and such a nice post, i was really hooked by your blog and enjoyed reading it a lot, life is like that only, we love somethings we hate some but we go on living with those whom we love

Congratulations on the wee one...they are a wonder are they not?I read with interest that you are exhibiting here in France. Would that I were close enough to come and see your work in living color! I am taking note of the artsy little town you visited and hope to go there myself next summer. We have planned a trip up towards that area then. Someday, maybe someday our paths will cross and I will consider it a bright day indeed!

Rima, honestly, you are one of the most inspiring people I have ever read about in Blogland. Every time the whole stricture of "modern life" starts to crush me a bit, I come to your blog, and breathe in deeply. I rambled the roads for almost six years....and sometimes I wonder why I ever stopped. I'm hoping there will come a day when I will do it again, and create art as I go.

I quietly read your blog in the background, and have just come back to this post after some time to see if you can tell me anything about the wonderful Arthurian exhibition moving to Exeter. I can't seem to find anything about it anywhere, and I'd love to take a friend down there.

congrats on the beautiful baby.... always a delight to come back here.... re-read..... but am longing for a new post, rima!

hoping you are well... adventure is often necessary, but the way can be shrouded in mist; the road filled with potholes and rocks. Am hoping that your road is not like that, but is filled with mossy banks and trees that beckon you to sit and dream awhile.

whatever shape your road is in today, I hope you'll soon find time to pour a cup of tea and chat with us. friends listen to all stories, even when dragons make a huffy appearance.

About Me

Rima Staines is an artist using paint, wood, word, music, animation, clock-making, puppetry & story to attempt to build a gate through the hedge that grows along the boundary between this world & that. Her gate-building has been a lifelong pursuit, & she hopes to have perhaps propped aside even one spiked loop of bramble (leaving a chink just big enough for a mud-kneeling, trusting eye to glimpse the beauty there beyond), before she goes through herself.

Always stubborn about living the things that make her heart sing, Rima lives with her partner Tom and their young son in Hedgespoken - an offgrid home and travelling theatre built on a vintage Bedford RL truck.

Rima’s inspirations include the world & language of folktale; faces of people who pass her on the street; folk music & art of Old Europe & beyond; peasant & nomadic living; magics of every feather; wilderness & plant-lore; the margins of thought, experience, community & spirituality; & the beauty in otherness.

Crumbs fall from Rima’s threadbare coat pockets as she travels, & can be found collected here, where you may join the caravan.